Whiteface and Esther

Trip Report:  Keeping Up with the Kids on Whiteface and Esther?

SUMMARY:

After another long summer of youth soccer, lacrosse and off-season hockey, we were able to squeeze in a trip to the Adirondacks.  This year’s goal was hike Whiteface Mountain, and maybe Esther if the kids could manage it.  Once again, we learned that expectations are folly when it comes to our kids and hiking as we had trouble keeping up with them from the start!  Liz and Nick bounced, ran, played, bouldered, posed, and outright powered their way up the mountain!  Teena and I had all we could do to simply keep up. I guess that comes with the territory when you hike with 11 and 13 year olds!  They are becoming terrific hiking partners!

This trip included a special bonus, Teena’s parents met us at the summit of Whiteface, providing us with a great opportunity to share our love of the Adirondacks.  I must admit…  It was surreal to arrive at the summit to see them standing there along with throngs of tourists, including bikers from Montreal and two guys in suits.  It was even more surreal to eat lunch with them in a restaurant on the summit.  (The Whiteface Chili is terrific!)  In fact, we took so much time on the summit with them that we had to get a ride back to our campground!  OOPS!  Regardless of taking the ride down instead of hiking, it was a beautiful day, a great hike, and a uniquely wonderful experience at the summit.

This was also the first hike that I tracked via GPS tools on my mobile phone.  The resulting map is below, followed by 42 pictures. 

STATS SUMMARY:

Date of Summit: 08/23/2014

Team:  Mike, Teena, Liz, Nick

Location:  Adirondack High Peaks (44.36585, -73.90259)

Summit Elevation:  4,865'

Vertical Ascent:  3,620'

Approach: Wilmington Reservoir

Trailhead to Summit: 5.2 miles

Time to summit:  4 hours and 16 minutes

Weather:  PERFECT!  Sunny, and mild, with temps in the high 60s and low 70s!!!

Trail Difficulty:  Difficult with steep terrain for the last mile to the summit.

Trail Conditions:  Clear.  Muddy in the flats.

Gear:  Solomon trail runners purchased in 2012, Samsung Galaxy S4, My Tracks

DETAILED STORY:

We stayed at the Whiteface KOA campground that’s only a couple miles from the trailhead.  The KOA is an impeccably clean and well-maintained campground with terrific amenities.  It was more expensive than we’d expect for a campground, but they were able to support the 24’ trailer camper that Teena’s parents camped in with us.  We shared a site with them, setting up our tent on the same site.

We awoke at 7:00am, and spent the next two hours eating breakfast, packing our backpacks, and discussing plans for meeting Teena’s parents at the top of Whiteface.  We arrived at the reservoir trail head around 9:30am, signed in at the trail registry at 9:44am, and were off!

Whiteface Mountain is the 5^th highest peak in New York state, and home to the 1980 Winter Olympics alpine skiing events.  Our approach to the summit was via the Wilmington Trail, starting at the Wilmington Reservoir – a 5.2 mile hike to the summit. 

Like prior ascents of Algonquin and Blue Mountains, we banged out the first mile of the trail rather quickly, hearing the all too familiar early exclamation “this is an easy trail!” The trail remained fairly easy for another half mile until we started a long steady grind of a hike up to the summit of Marble Mountain (~2.2 miles from the trail head).  Hiking through the summit, we continued our hiking.  Interestingly, Marble mountain is the former ski area that existed in these parts until Whiteface Mountain was developed.  There were signs of the old ski sites, including an old abandoned ski patrol toboggan shelter.  It looks like it could be used today!

After almost three hours of hiking, we arrived at the trail junction for Esther around 12:30.  After a quick 15 minute lunch and water break, Mike and Nick hung their packs on a tree split off to hike Esther Mountain while Teena and Lizzy continued their trek toward the summit of Whiteface.  It took about 30 minutes to reach the summit of Esther, arriving at 1:15pm, hiking at the brisk pace of an 11-year old travel-hockey-playing boy. 

Esther Mountain is named after Esther McComb, who made the first recorded ascent of the mountain in 1839.  She was 15 years old at the time, and had gotten lost while trying to summit Whiteface.  A tablet (see picture) was placed on the summit by the 46ers in 1939 in her memory.

We spent about 5 minutes on the summit of Esther, having our picture taken by a couple of fellow hikers who were resting there, and then hiked back to the junction at the same brisk pace, arriving back at the trail junction in only 25 minutes!  Nick had barely broken a sweat as I was reaching for my bottle of Ibuprofen!  The summit of Whiteface was only 1.8 miles of steep terrain away, and my legs were toast!  The bottle of Ibuprofen will be getting a serious workout today!

We proceeded toward Whiteface on a flat and downward trending hike.  The nice flat hike and mud felt good, but it didn’t last long, for soon we were hiking a steep grade up to the Whiteface Memorial Highway.  The base of the highway is a wall that must be 50 feet tall.  It’s incredible!    We hiked along the wall a short distance and climbed a pile of boulders that reached to the wall of the highway, right over a slide that provided great views of the ski slopes and the summit of Little Whiteface. 

The last leg of the hike was short and steep, hiking along a narrow ridgeline (arête) leading to the summit.  On the left, we hiked past steep slides.  On the right, the Memorial highway fell further below us.  We arrived at the summit at 3pm on the northeast side of the weather research station to rejoin Teena and Lizzy.  As we were making our final steps toward the summit, two men departed to hike down the mountain…wearing suits!  They had just completed their 46^th peak, and were beginning their descent in style!

We spent roughly two hours on the summit with Teena’s parents, taking pictures, taking in the sights, touring the facilities, and eating lunch.  By the time we wrapped, it was too late to hike down the mountain.  So we hitched a ride with Teena’s parents to the trail head.

TOPO MAP:

The following interactive map was created by the “My Tracks” app on my phone as we hiked.

VIDEO:
 This video will give you a perspective of the drive Teena's parents took up the mountain via the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway.

PICTURES:

And finally, here are some of the pictures we took along the way!

At the start of the trip, everyone is always so restful and full of smiles!

"This trail is too easy, Dad!"

15 minutes in, and we need to pause to shed layers.  Nothing atypical yet.

30 minutes into the hike, the kids are still bouncing and climbing rocks.  "This trail really is easy, dad!"

1.3 miles in ~40 minutes.  Not too bad!  "When is the trail going to get hard, dad?"

2.2 miles in 90 minutes...  Still not bad.  "Dad, we're almost halfway there!  This is too easy!"

A few minutes later...  The fun begins!

Things are starting to get steep now.

Chipmunks are always a sign of good luck.  At least for us they are.  We seem to run into them quite frequently when hiking the High Peaks.

2.5 hours into the hike...No more complaints about an easy hike!  We're in the middle of a long and relatively steep ascent of Marble Mountain.

This was a common way for Teena and I to "find" the kids...waiting for us to show up. 

A little more than three miles in is this old toboggan shelter.  These shelters are used by the National Ski Patrol to store toboggans when not in use.  Marble Mountain was a ski area in the 1940's and 1950's, before the current Whiteface Mountain ski resort was developed.  You can read a brief history here.

We reached the Esther trail junction about 2.75 hours and 3.4 miles into the trip.  The trail to Esther is unmarked, but easy to follow after years of hikers on the mountain.  Nick and I stowed our backpacks, and started the 1 mile hike to the summit of Esther.  Teena and Liz continued on to the summit of Whiteface.  It's the first time we've ever split up during a hike.

Attaboy!  Way to stay in that mud!  The trail to Esther has many flat sections, and therefore, a lot of mud.

Without backpacks, we're mooooooving!  And gaining elevation quickly!  Notice the small trees!

Whiteface Mountain, as it looks from the summit of Esther.  Teena and Liz are somewhere out there.

Nick bags his 3rd 46'er peak, standing on the summit of Esther!  We completed the mile hike to the summit of Esther in 30 minutes, crossing over Lookout peak in the process!  Great job!

Plaque on the summit of Mt Ester at 4270 Feet
To commemorate the indomitable spirit of Esther McComb who at age 15 made the first recorded ascent of this peak for the sheer joy of climbing.  She climbed this peak in 1838.  The plaque was installed by the 46ers club in 1938.

Nick and I pose on the summit of Esther while a couple of fellow hikers take our picture.

One last quick selfie...

...and the race was on!  "Let's go catch mom and Liz!"

We arrived back at the trail junction in 25 minutes!  Not sure it was the smartest idea to leave our packs at the junction.  Although we certainly gained speed, we carried no water.  After an hour of fast hiking without water, I think we both were a little dehydrated.

We got back on the trail to the summit of Whiteface an hour after splitting off from Teena and Liz.  We're hoping to catch them!

This is cool!  Nick is standing in the middle of a ski trail!  In only 3 months, we will be skiing!!!  I can't wait!

This absolutely blew me away!  We're about 4.8 miles into the Wilmington Trail, when we come to the base of the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway wall.  That wall must rise 50 feet up!  It's a pretty incredible sight to see after hours of looking at trees.  Can't stay long...  It's starting to get late...  It's already 2:30pm!

 

Next to that wall is a pile of rocks and boulders.  My presumption is that they are left over from the construction of the highway.  The trail climbs that pile until we reach the roadway.  Here, we run into more hikers who take our picture.

Arriving at the summit of Whiteface!  Teena and Liz arrived about 30-minutes earlier and were waiting for us with her parents. 

The first person I saw at the summit was that girl, sitting there next to the research building.  I saw her from the other side while I was on the other side of the building.  It was Lizzy!  I yelled out her name, and she gave me a big grin!

The summit wasn't as packed with people as other summits.  We arrived at the packed summit during our hike of Algonquin 2 years ago.  But this time it's different.  Flip flops, jeans, leather jackets...  This view of it all was perhaps my favorite!

The summit!  5 hours and 16 minutes after we departed the Wilmington Reservoir trailhead...    Teena and Liz hiked 5.2 miles.  Nick and I hiked 7.2 miles.  All that's left to do now is descend.  It should be a quick hike down.

Three generations!

Teena's parents, Tom & Karen, arrived at the summit about a half hour before Teena and Liz summited, and an hour before Nick and I arrived.  We were thrilled that they could join us.  Whiteface Mountain is the only ADK High Peak with a road to the summit, so this is the only place where we can meet up with them during a hike!

Nick and I posing with Esther in the background between us.  Well...  Actually, it's right over Nick's head. Hard to believe we were on that peak only just over an hour ago...

  

Liz and Nick are taking in the scene.

You can't visit the summit of Whiteface Mountain without getting a picture of Lake Placid.

 

Liz wa actually on Whiteface once before.  When Lizzy was only 6 weeks old, Teena and I took her for a ride in the Whiteface Gondola.  The top of that gondola is in the background.

...And here's that picture of Liz from September 2, 2001!  Seems like just yesterday!!!

Hanging out at the summit.  ...Probably talking about... I don't know...  Mountains?

One of the cool things about Whiteface is that there is a castle atop it.  Inside the castle are bathrooms, water refilling, a gift shop, and a restaurant! 

 

So...  We decided to stay and get lunch with Teena's parents...A couple bowls of Whiteface Chili!  Now, I've had some good chili in my days, and I don't know if 5 hours of hiking had anything to do with it, but that Whiteface Chili was just downright TERRIFIC!  I found this recipe online.  I don't know if it's the same stuff, but I'm going to give it a try!

Oh my!!!  Look at the TIME!!!  With all the hanging out, talking, touring, and eating we did while on the summit, we burned over two hours.  The time was 5:00pm!  Looks like we'll be catching a ride down to the trail head.  The manual descent of this mountain will incent me to return over the winter to SKI down!

Best way to end the day.  Good food.  Good company.  Beer, and a fire.  Notice the light emanating from the tent.  There are two awesome hikers in there who complained about the hike being too easy, outpacing their parents at every step of the day.  They retired quickly to the tent, pulled out their iPods, and fell asleep not long after this picture was taken.  It was a good day.